Napoleons sword for Osenat auction
Published June 9th, 2007
The gold-encrusted sword Napoleon wore into battle in Italy will be auctioned off Sunday, across the street from one of his imperial castles.
The last of Napoleon’s swords in private hands, it has an estimated value of €1.2 million to €1.5 million (US$1.6 million to US$2 million). The Osenat auction house, managing the sale, said it may sell for two to three times that amount.
The intricately decorated blade is 97 centimeters (32 inches) in length and curves gently — an inspiration Napoleon drew from his Egyptian campaign, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said.
“He noticed that the Arab swords, which were curved, were very effective in cutting off French heads” and ordered an imitation made upon his return, Osenat explained.
The sword was carried by Napoleon — who was not yet Emperor at the time — into the battle of Marengo in June 1800, where he launched a surprise attack to push the Austrian army from Italy and seal France’s victory, said Jean-Christophe Chataignier, an imperial expert at Osenat.
